Thank you for the exciting opportunity to read and review this excerpt!

"House of Earth and Blood" was a total surprise for me. I don’t know what I was expecting from this new work of Sarah J. Maas, but it wasn’t this adult urban fantasy novel that put me to mind of Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels series or Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series. I was surprised by the swearing and the casual references to sex and drugs, something I have not encountered with the author’s other works. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just something that caught me off guard. In fact, I am positively excited to see what other differences will come of House of Earth and Blood being categorized as an adult novel rather than a young adult novel!

Despite all this excitement in realizing I was reading an adult, rather than young adult novel, I honestly can’t say that I was hooked on House of Earth and Blood from the get-go. At the beginning of the excerpt, I felt like I was being absolutely inundated--and overwhelmed, for that matter--with information about the characters and their backgrounds, houses, a way of life, crime, and a city I knew nothing about. I felt like I should be taking rigorous notes! The excerpt is filled to the brim with werewolves, chimeras, fae, fauns, archangels, and every other fantastical creature of which you could dream--each complete with their own hierarchy existing within the greater organization of Crescent City. I am sure I still don’t fully understand how everything works and that I probably won’t until I finish the entire novel--which I definitely will be reading.

It’s clear from this excerpt, however, that Crescent City is certainly a character of its very own, one that stands out even among the rest of the larger-than-life characters. It is hinted within "House of Earth and Blood" that there is even more to this dazzling city than meets the eye. I can’t wait to discover more of what that is!

The author does an amazing job of developing not only Crescent City, but also her characters in just the first few chapters. Perhaps that is why I was SO stunned when I realized I was essentially reading a tragic origin story in the making for the somewhat frivolous main character, half-fae-half-human Bryce Quinlan.. I thought the story was going one way and it went in a completely different direction. I was absolutely astounded by the ending to the excerpt, which was a total cliffhanger. I have a sneaking suspicion that as a result of these shocking events, Bryce will become just as badass or even more so than her counterparts Feyre and Aelin. And I cannot wait to see if being in the adult genre will lead Bryce down even darker paths than Maas’s other beloved heroines.

I also have really high hopes for the romance of this series. Even this early in "House of Blood and Earth," Sarah J. Maas has made it very clear that Bryce will not be accepting any toxic masculinity aka “alphahole” behavior directed at her, despite being rather low on the Crescent City pecking order as a half-human. A lot of this is due to Bryce’s parents, and my curiosity is PIQUED. I want to know more about her background and literally everything else!

By the end of this excerpt, I was completely invested in Bryce and her magical city. I cannot wait to see where Bryce’s inevitable quest for revenge will take her. Time to preorder!

I was given the chance to read an excerpt (the first 5 chapters to be exact) and I already want to read more, though I do have a few criticisms. Hopefully they'll be ironed out though as I'm able to finally finish the book when it's published. It's been years since I've read any of Maas's books, so I was a little apprehensive, but was happy to hear it is a whole new series so I wouldn't be lost. The book is very complicated from the start and there are already hundreds of details established about this new world, the government, and the players in it. I was a little irked at the main character's name since, to me, it's a very masculine name for a female lead, but got used to it by the end of the excerpt. With the way Bryce talks on and on and on about Danika, her roommate, it started to make me question why the book isn't told from her perspective. Lastly, chapter 5 is gripping and leads up to a MASSIVE cliffhanger. Literally one where you get done and yell "noooo!" because you HAVE to know what happens next. I guess I'll be waiting until the full book is published, but I did like it so far. I'm very intrigued and can't wait to finish the story come March.

This looks amazing. It's raw, edgy, laced with biting humor and bad attitudes that are so Sarah J Maas I instantly adore it. I'm excited that the author is moving into the adult fiction world which will hopefully allow her to explore darker themes.

This is the first Sarah J. Maas book (excerpt) I have read - despite having some of her other books on my to-read list - and I realize now what I've been missing!

I thoroughly enjoyed the first 5 chapters, and loved the chemistry between the characters. I was a bit overwhelmed with the complex details at the beginning, especially the amount of characters! But I'm sure I'll lose myself in the full novel, and expect that all the details will fall into place.

It's an intriguing and promising story and extremely fast paced! I look forward to seeing how Bryce's tale unfolds.


Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the excerpt!

I’m already falling in love with this book! I need the rest of it ASAP! Sarah J. Maas is already managing to steal the spot for my favorite book once again.

What was that?! Now I'm really dying to read this book! Bryce is a half fae who is best friends with the almost alpha werewolf. A criminal they recently got locked up was released and it gets crazy after that. Left me totally hanging and I will be counting down the days until I can finish this book and give a full review.

Absolutely cannot wait for this book to come out!! I am a huge Maas fan!!

This excerpt has me even more excited than I was before. The cover art is STUNNING!!!

Thanks for the excerpt!! I’m so excited to read more from Sarah J. Maas. First off though, just have to say how much I love the cover art and the beautiful map we get of Crescent City. My favorite thing about Sarah’s books are the characters and I can’t wait to get to know them more when the book comes out. Also, I love to dive into any fantasy world that’s full of fairies and shifters so thaaaank you for a new fantasy series I can look forward to reading.

So excited I was able to read this excerpt, counting down till early March for the full book. Excited to see SJM grow into the adult fantasy world. Bryce is already a strong and exciting character, and I'm looking forward to following along. She reminds me a little of Feyre!

Thank you thank you for offering up this excerpt. I am so excited for Sarah J. Maas's next book. This one starts off with a lot of exposition, but that's to be expected in the first book of a new series in a new world. I look forward to reading the rest of it. Maas's world-building skills are second to none.

First of all I’ve got the chance to review this precious piece Sarah wrote and that’s a huge honor.

With the first few pages I didn’t know what to expect from the book and the characters. The main character Bryce is a half-face and half-human (as you all know) and she works at a gallery.

The story so far is really good and interesting and by the way it ended (the excerpt) I really need to read the rest of it!

Bryce is a really good character, kind of reminds me of Feyre (ACOTAR) but otherwise she’s also different but the same way awesome. She doesn’t take a lot from people and she’s her own person. She loves to party, have fun and then the next day just go to work...

I would love to write so much more but don’t know if I’m honestly able to or should. After the book is OUT and I’ll be able to read the full book...I’ll review it as a whole here.

I was immediately interested in reading this, especially since it's an adult series. While I love the YA series written by Sarah J. Maas, I was intrigued to see what she could do in the adult realm of the fantasy genre, specifically an urban fantasy setting. I wasn't disappointed!

Initially, I found the breakdown of who oversees the city and quarters a bit confusing, but once the story got underway, I was immediately sucked into the world-building and the characters themselves. Bryce is a character that is relatable, as a young woman who is struggling to find her way in a world that isn't exactly friendly to her kind - the half-human, half-Fae who don't have a set place in the highly ordered society.

The first few chapters allowed me to get to know Bryce and her friends - Danika, Fury, Juniper, Connor, and some of the other members of the Pack of Devils that Danika oversees. The rigid class structure of the city was interesting, and the urban setting reminded me strongly of a metropolitan city in the American South. I liked that the setting was a good mix of fantasy and urban reality. There's a bit of tension, with stirrings of war brewing in nearby areas, a dangerous convict being released, the disastrous relationship with Reid (which I could see heading for a breakup a mile away), and the potential for romance with Connor.

Everything seems well and good, but it wouldn't be a very interesting story without some kind of spark. I was really hoping that the spark wouldn't involve what it seemed to, and I was heartbroken about what happened, even after just a few chapters of getting to know the characters. I'm interested to see what happens next, and what this means for Bryce and the rest of Crescent City.

I'm also really curious to learn more about Bryce and her background, like what happened with her father, and where she goes from the events in the last chapter. As with any excerpt, it seems like the defining event always comes just as the excerpt ends, and I'm left desperate for more. I'm looking forward to reading the book in its entirety.

This is certainly textbook Sarah J. Maas material, and I think her fans will be very excited considering how the first few chapters play out. Maas sets up the world like furniture in a house, and then pulls the rug out from under it with gut-wrenching tragedy. It took a bit to settle in with all the exposition of the houses and world politics, but the main character is vibrant on the page, as are her friends.

Another signature Maas is the way she sets up possible/future/past romances. This is not a love-at-first-sight book and it is certainly not a book where the main romantic interest is introduced quickly and outright. In this, the writing is refreshingly realistic in terms of love, lust, and loss.

This is the first Sarah J Maas book (excerpt) I have read and I realise now that I am seriously late to the party! I love the first 5 chapters I was lucky enough to read. I’m throughly into the story and cannot wait to find out who killed Bryce’s friends and what she plans to do about it.
I was slightly overwhelmed with details at the beginning and the sheer number of characters coming at me was a bit confusing but sometimes you have to have faith it will all fall into place.

I have pre ordered this book from Waterstones (gotta have the exclusive edition!)

This was an exciting excerpt from the novel and I can’t wait for its release! Thank you NetGalley for the excerpt!

I had the privilege of receiving an excerpt of this novel through Netgalley. Since House of Earth and Blood is set to be released on March 3rd and I just got a taste of the novel, I will not be providing ANY spoilers. This post is primarily to interest readers in this novel and incredible series!

UGH Sarah J. Maas why must you tease me so! When I got the notification that this was released to Netgalley, I requested the excerpt so fast, it’s nuts. I am a massive Sarah J. Maas fan, she is one of the only authors who I can read third-person perspective through.

It wasn’t available to readers what the writing style of House of Earth and Blood would be like until the book released. In the past, Maas has written in both first and third-person perspectives. Alas, this was written in third-person.

I want to start this review by saying how grateful I am to be able to get a sneak peek of the novel! I honestly loved it and now am craving more!

Let just start by the cover. It is GORGEOUS ugh, so beautifully done, I cannot wait to get my hands on the hard copy and fully analyze this cover. The amount of detail that went into it amazes me. I am just obsessed.

Now, this is a fantasy novel, but unlike the other works that she has published, this is her first adult novel. Just with reading the first 5 chapters, I can say that she fits well into it. Frankly, I was a bit worried we were going to have a Casual Vacancy incident, but thankfully it was avoided.

For those who are wondering what House of Earth and Blood is about, here is a blurb provided by the publisher:

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it. With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.

Bloomsbury Publishing
How I wish to tell what the first chapters are about, but I feel like that is just taking away from the excitement that comes with this book!

In all honesty, the excerpt is written incredibly, I am rarely lost for words when reviewing a novel, but I literally cannot formulate words to express how much I am in LOVE with this novel.

Sarah, you have done it again. I know for sure that this novel will be on the NYT Bestsellers list!

If you are at all contemplating or are just intrigued by this novel pre-order it! By doing so and submitting your receipt, you will receive an exclusive art print! I have pre-ordered mine and am so excited about the novel and the art!

This is my most anticipated book of 2020. I love Sarah J Maas! She is my queen of fantasy! So of course I wanted to read whatever I could of this book the minute I could. So when the first 5 chapters was available I jumped at the chance to read it. I’m not saying I regret it but holy crap did stuff just go down and it’s going to hurt to have to wait another month for it to actually come out. Long story short I loved this a lot and I need the finished copy in my hands!!

It's no surprise that Sarah J. Maas is my absolute favorite author and I am ecstatic for the release of this book. I flew through this chapter sampler so quickly and was left dying for more. I love the introduction of a new modern world and I'm excited to see what Sarah does with it since we've had high-fantasy low-technology worlds in her previous books. Not only that, but the main character Bryce is so wonderful already. I am very intrigued by her and her story and what will happen next!

All I can say is that I have 6 copies preordered and will still be driving to the bookstore on release day to get a copy in my hands ASAP.

Getting access to this excerpt only makes me more excited for House of Earth and Blood. This adult urban fantasy follows Bryce a half-fae/half-time seeking to avenge those she's lost. This first few chapters seem to give a lot of information, but so far we know there are magical abilities and every sort of paranormal being you could want. I Pre-ordered this book this afternoon after reading this sneak peek.

After getting a taste of this.... I'm even more excited! I'm SJM trash so I'm sure to love this! So glad she's finally into the adult market!